Travel Nurse Employment

Nursing crisis has created tremendous opportunities in travel nurse employment. In January 2002, California adopted a law to enforce minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. Since then many states have followed this model. This trend left many hospitals in a difficult situation. To ease this problem, they have turned to help of both nurse staffing agencies and travel nurses. Travel nurses can be used to adjusted nurse-to-patient ratio in a specific period of year, or supplement staff when nurses are undergoing new education or training.

In a research conducted by First Consulting Group, 56% of healthcare facilities nationwide are using agency or traveling nurses to fill vacancies. George K. Baum & Company also reported that in 2000, travel nurse employment accounted for approximately 20% of the nurse staffing market, includes placement of registered nurses on a contracted, fixed-term basis.

On the other hand, travel nursing employment also provides nursing professionals an opportunity to advance their career while traveling around the country. The salary of travel nurses is also very attractive, and they don't have to deal with office politics.

Assignments for travel nurses may vary from several weeks to one year, but are typically about three months in duration. The healthcare professional temporarily relocates to the geographic area of assignment. The staffing company generally is responsible for providing travel nurses with customary employment benefits and for coordinating travel and housing arrangements.

To become a traveling nurse, healthcare professionals must be a graduate of an accredited healthcare professional program. Generally, agencies require you to have at least one year of nursing experience in the desired specialty. They also prefer recent acute care experience.

To find travel nurse candidates or travel nurse employment opportunities, visit the following websites:

• Ready Recruit